Modern computing devices, such as cellular telephones, PDAs and laptop computers provide a keyboard functionality, implemented via hardware or software, for the purposes of inputting textual data by an operator. Utilizing this keyboard input functionality while operating a motor vehicle has become a significant safety hazard in recent years due to the increasing prevalence of such devices. The act of doing so poses a risk of injury or death to the operator, the passengers of the operator's vehicle, other vehicles and pedestrians, due to the degree of attention required to operate keyboard input devices. Thus, it is desirable to selectively enable and disable keyboard input functionality on mobile devices in the possession of the operator of a motor vehicle while said vehicle is in motion.
Various devices or applications have been proposed to address the texting while driving problem. Of these, many deal with jamming cell phone signals which have the drawback that all cell phones in a vehicle are thus disabled. Further, such jamming does not prevent other use of the mobile devices. Other systems relate to RF signals which require use of circuitry not normally employed in cellphones. Hence, a system and method is needed to economically provide for inhibiting texting and other uses of cellphones and other mobile computing devices while driving a vehicle.
Many of the conventional devices or applications used to address the texting while driving problem can be turned off or otherwise circumvented. Information regarding whether a user turned off or circumvented the device or application and/or the status of the device could be important when the user is involved in a car accident. For example, whether or not the user was using the device at the time of the accident may affect liability. Indeed, it may show whether texting during driving was or was not at least partially the cause of the accident, thus eliminating other factors, such as, for example, weather conditions or another driver. Hence, a system and method is needed to provide information concerning the status of a device and/or whether or not a user disabled an application used to address the texting while driving problem.